VDP : A versatile high performance vector distance processor

Vector quantization and Dynamic Pattern Matching are basic operations to achieve continuous speech recognition. Only their implementation in VLSI circuits could provide the high performance required by real-time computation and allow the design of low-cost systems, two key points for the industrial development of continuous speech recognition. Using an Integrated "Design" Methodology, we have combined optimizations at the algorithmic, architectural and layout levels, to design a high throughput Vector Distance Processor, and a set of matched complementary cells, that allows an easy implementation of various Vector Quantization and Dynamic Pattern Matching chips. As an application, we have designed a low-cost VLSI circuit achieving diphone spotting. This single chip implements a Dynamic Pattern Matching algorithm for 20-frame patterns and provides every 10ms the four best candidates among 500 patterns.